Meet the Wardens

CHLOE OLIVER, Keeper of the Alvalaithen, Age: 12
Clever, brave, impetuous. Wickedly funny and very protective of those she loves, especially her sister, her father, and Horace.

NEPTUNE DEVLIN, Keeper of the Devlin tourminda, Age: 15
A dedicated Warden, wary of newcomers to the cause. Has a strange, deadpan sense of humor.

GABRIEL K, Keeper of the Staff of Obro, Age: 17
Calm and steadfast. Holds great power with his Tan’ji and wields it responsibly; though blind, he is more perceptive than most.

BRIAN SOUTER, Keeper of Tunraden, Age: 13
Droll and somewhat mysterious. Forced by the nature of his Tan’ji to remain in the Warren, his nonchalant humor belies the immense power granted by his instrument.

MRS. HAPSTEADE, Keeper of the Vora, Age: 40-50
Somewhat stern, but compassionate. Acts as a caretaker and mentor to the Wardens.

MR. MEISTER, Keeper of the Mai’tan oraculum, Age: unknown
The Chief Taxonomer of the Wardens. Intense, inscrutable; holds Tanu and the mission of the Wardens above all else.

Glossary

Keeper
one who has bonded with a chosen instrument, thus becoming Tan’ji

Tanu (TAH-noo)
the universal term for all of the mysterious devices created by the Makers; the function of these instruments is all but unknown to most (two main kinds of Tanu are Tan’ji and Tan’kindi)

Tan’ji (tahn-JEE)
a special class of Tanu that will only work when bonded with a Keeper who has a specific talent; Tan’ji also describes the Keeper himself and the state of that bond—a kind of belonging or being; Keepers refer to their Tan’ji as instruments

Tan’kindi (tahn-KIN-dee)
a simpler category of Tanu that will work for anyone, without requiring a special talent or a bond (raven’s eyes, dumindars, etc.)

Tan’layn (tahn-LAIN)
the unclaimed; the term used to describe Tan’ji that do not currently have a Keeper

Find, the
the solitary period during which a new Keeper masters her instrument

dispossessed
term for a Keeper who is permanently severed from his instrument

Riven
a hidden race of beings who hunger to reclaim all the Tanu for their own; they call themselves the Kesh’kiri

Mordin
tall and sinister, these are Riven who are particularly skilled at hunting down Tan’ji

Tinker
a Kesh’kiri word for ordinary humans

Wardens
the secret group of Keepers devoted to protecting the Tanu from the Riven

Nevren
a field of influence that temporarily severs the bond between a Keeper and her Tan’ji; the Nevren is used to protect the Wardens’ strongholds